SATURDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- The Memorial Day holiday is the traditional kick-off of the summer barbecue season in the United States, but research has shown that grilling can create cancer-causing compounds in meat, experts say.
Among the compounds are heterocyclic amines (HCAs), which are created when heat acts on amino acids, and creatinine in animal muscle.
The longer the cooking time and the higher the heat, the more HCAs, say experts at the University of California, Davis, Cancer Center. That means that barbecuing produces the most HCAs, followed by pan-frying and broiling. Baking, poaching, stir-frying and stewing produce the least HCAs.
What is the single most effective way to avoid infection? The one your mother taught you: washing your hands.
Using a simple technique like hand washing is especially important for cancer patients with weakened immune systems, who are more susceptible to illness than the general population.
How to stay clean
Keeping hands clean is important at home and at the hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP). The CDCP says that of the two million hospital-acquired infections reported each year, 90,000 are fatal.
For the more than 1.3 million Americans diagnosed with cancer, vacationing is no easy feat. They have many difficulties that regular summer travelers do not have.
Many patients can travel safely and comfortably as long as they take proper precautions and use common sense. Patients are advised to talk with a physician before embarking on a journey. The physician can point out basic precautions that should be taken and assess whether it’s a good time to travel.
Families are deeply affected by a member's diagnosis of cancer. Feelings can range from anger to despair to fear. Spouses fear losing their partners, parents fear losing their children, and children fear losing their parents.
Children can have an especially hard time when a parent or sibling is ill. Frequently, they aren't included in discussions, hearing only bits and pieces of conversations. They might be too young to understand what's going on. Kids might also jump to conclusions, assuming the worst. Sometimes, they even blame themselves. Some excellent books are written specifically for children on how to cope with a parent's cancer. These advise, for instance, that it's often simply a matter of sitting down and talking to children openly, so that they'll have a realistic picture of what's going on.
Water, water everywhere. Drink at least eight to ten glasses of water per day. This not only prevents constipation, but helps your kidneys to cope with the medication you may be taking.
Shortcuts. If you are going to have chemotherapy, chances are that your hair may fall out. If you cut it short before the time – this way there will be much less hair to lose and the change will not be that remarkable, should your hair fall out.
Cut out the coffee. If you have problems with diarrhoea, caffeine in any form will make this worse. Remember that there are many cola drinks that contain caffeine – look out for these.
Rene Caisse's Essiac: Cancer Cure?
Part 1
Cancer Information 
